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State lawmakers from Union County back higher pay for Newark airport workers

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State lawmakers want Gov. Chris Christie and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to pressure airlines executives to increase wages for workers at Newark Liberty International Airport (pictured)
(Donna Gialanella/The Star-Ledger)

ELIZABETH — As pressure mounts for major airlines to pay their contract workers at New York City's two airports a higher wage, three New Jersey lawmakers from Union County are calling for the same pay hike for workers at Newark's airport.

Sen. Raymond Lesniak and Assembly members Joseph Cryan and Annette Quijano (all D-Union) today sided with members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in calling for a wage increase to $10.10 an hour for workers at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Union members protested outside the terminal for Newark airport's largest carrier — United Airlines — demanding their pay be increased to the level President Obama has pledged the federal government will pay its contract workers.

Like Obama, Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey have been blocked by Republicans in raising the minimum wage. Gov. Chris Christie last year vetoed a bill that would have increased the state's $7.25 minimum wage. Instead, the Republican governor countered with a plan to phase in a $1-an-hour-increase over three years. The minimum wage was hiked from $7.25 to $8.25 an hour in November by a referendum that also amended the state Constitution to peg future changes in the wage to inflation.

The Newark airport workers are piggybacking on the demands by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Patrick Foye, his top appointee to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who are pushing for wage increases from airlines operating out of LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports.

The Newark workers want Christie and his new top appointee to the Port Authority — Deputy Executive Director Deborah Gramiccioni — to apply the same pressure on airlines operating out of Newark airport.

“This is about creating a livable wage for workers who are tasked with demanding jobs that carry weighty responsibilities,” said Lesniak. “In order to maintain a certain level of quality in the delivery of these services, we need to provide a fair and decent wage that’s in line with other airports in the region.”

Lesniak, Cryan and Quijano represent Elizabeth, where part of Newark airport is located.

“We cannot expect to continue attracting the level of quality employees needed to handle these important jobs if we don’t deliver a more realistic living wage,” said Quijano. “In order to provide passengers with a safe traveling experience, we need to support decent working standards and wages that allow employees to support a family.”